Method and device for plasma-treating the surface of substrates by ion bombardment

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method and a device for reducing the thickness of substrates ( 3 ), especially wafers, by ion etching. The method provides that the plasma is produced through an arc in the presence of an etching gas. Said arc can be produced with either an alternating voltage or a direct voltage between two electrodes ( 4, 5 ). The substrate ( 3 ) to be treated is at a negatively pulsed direct voltage potential. The inventive method is characterised by a high ionization rate and consequently, by short etching times. Another application for the inventive method for plasma-treating the surface of substrates ( 3 ) by ion bombardment provides that the surface of these substrates ( 3 ) is plasma-activated.

[0001] The invention relates to a method for plasma treatment of the surface of substrates by ion bombardment according to the preamble of method claim 1. Moreover, the invention relates to a device for performing the method according to the preamble of device claim 11.

[0002] A first field of application of the method according to the invention as well as of the corresponding device is the manufacture of extremely thin wafers which are more and more in demand. Their advantages lie in the excellent heat dissipation of an integrated circuit (IC) as well as material savings for the chip card industry. With the currently known ion etching methods, however, only those chips can be produced which are relatively thick and therefore can easily break when they are integrated, for example, into a banking card.

[0003] The basic principle of ion etching methods resides in that a plasma of a supplied etching gas is generated. By connecting the substrate to be treated to a negative voltage potential, the ions are accelerated onto the substrate and erode the surface of the substrate in this way. In the known methods, the plasma is generated by high frequency introduction into the etching gas or by a microwave coupling system or in another comparable way. However, the ionization rate resulting from these methods for generating the plasma is relatively minimal and, correspondingly, the efficiency of the method for reducing the thickness of substrates by ion etching is unsatisfactory.

[0004] Nevertheless, the method upon which the invention is based is also suitable for and useable with other substrates, for example, according to a further field of application, for plasma activation of the surfaces of substrates which are plastic bodies, in particular, films. This plasma activation of the surface provides the basis for applying a bonding agent.

[0005] Based on this, it is an object of the invention to provide a productive method with a high degree of efficiency for plasma treating the surface of substrates by ion bombardment; moreover, a device for performing the method is to be provided.

[0006] According to the invention a technical solution is proposed with regard to the method in that the plasma is generated by an electric arc.

[0007] In this connection, in a vacuum chamber an electric arc is ignited by direct current or alternating current. By coupling the current and providing a pressure pulse, generated in the vacuum chamber, a very high current density is generated which is sufficient to ignite between corresponding electrodes a high current electric arc (ARC) and to allow it to burn stably. In this way, a very high ionization rate is generated.

[0008] As already mentioned before, the electric arc can be ignited and maintained by alternating voltage. According to the further embodiment of claim 2, in this alternating current operation of the electric arc the frequency can vary between 1 Hz and 4 MHz, wherein a process optimum is obtained for approximately 1.765 MHz.

[0009] As an alternative according to claim 3, the electric arc can be ignited and maintained also by direct voltage.

[0010] A preferred embodiment is proposed according to claim 4 wherein the advantage resides in that the migration of the electric arc avoids spot overheating. The migration provides a separation of substrate and electric arc. This is technically realized according to the further embodiment of claim 5 by a migrating magnetic field by which the electric arc is guided like a carousel in a circulating movement.

[0011] A further embodiment is proposed according to claim 6 wherein the basic idea resides in a pulsed direct-current bias (DC bias). The frequency of the pulsed direct-current source is variable in the range between 1 Hz and 1 MHz, wherein the best working point is approximately at 225 KHz. The basic idea resides in that the ions produced by the electric arc are accelerated onto the substrate by means of a voltage pulse.

[0012] Another embodiment is suggested according to claim 7. The basic idea resides in that partial volume charges, that have been generated and would otherwise disturb the supplied negative potential, can be removed by means of the positive voltage potential. The volume is thus discharged and charge carriers are eliminated. Preferably, the positive counter pulse is shorter than the negative voltage pulsed.

[0013] A first application of the method according to the invention for plasma treatment of the surface of substrates by ion bombardment is proposed in claim 8. The plasma dry etching method for thinning substrates, for example, finish-processed wafers, which method is assisted by an electric arc (ARC), operates with a high degree of efficiency. Accordingly, the requirement with respect to extremely thin wafers can be fulfilled, wherein the advantages of this wafer reside in the excellent dissipation of the heat of an integrated circuit (IC), furthermore in material savings for manufacturing the chips, as well as, finally, in a high stability of the chips because they are thin and therefore very flexible. In comparison to conventional methods, the inventive etching method enables as a result of the high ionization rates shorter etching times and reduced costs per article.

[0014] In order to obtain the desired and required extremely high ionization and etching rate, fluorine compounds can be used according to the embodiment of claim 9. They not only effect a high ionization and etching rate for silicon but also for SiO₂, Si₃N₄, Al, MO, Ta, Ti and W.

[0015] A second application of the method according to the invention for plasma treatment of the surface of substrates by ion bombardment is proposed in claim 10. In this way, a surface activation with a very high efficiency is possible as a result of the high ionization rate.

[0016] The technical solution according to the invention for the device for performing the method is characterized by the features in the characterizing portion of the (device) claim 11.

[0017] The basic configuration of the device is comprised of a vacuum chamber in which at least two pairs of electrodes are arranged between which the electric arc is ignited. In this connection, the introduced current conductors are insulated relative to the vacuum chamber wherein different ceramic materials can be used as insulators.

[0018] The basic idea of the embodiment according to claim 12 resides in that the electric arc is generated between a central electrode and an annular electrode. In this way, a very simple electrode arrangement is provided in order to realize the aforementioned carousel-like circulation of the electric arc so that overall reproducible conditions are ensured in all radial directions.

[0019] In this way, according to the embodiment of claim 13, the gas supply can be embodied as an approximately annular pipe which is essentially concentrically arranged about the central electrode. As an alternative, it is also conceivable to provide the chamber with several individuals supply nozzles.

[0020] A further embodiment in regard to the configuration of the vacuum chamber is proposed in claim 14.

[0021] The further embodiment according to claim 15 finally has the advantage that by means of the field coils arranged external to the vacuum chamber the circulation of the electric arc can be realized in a technically simple way.

[0022] One embodiment of the invention in the form of a device for reducing the thickness of substrates, i.e., of a wafer, by ion etching will be described with reference to the drawing which illustrates a schematic longitudinal section of the device.

[0023] The etching module has a cylindrical vacuum chamber 1. It is provided at its inner side with a coating 2 of hot-pressed boron nitride. The substrate 3 in the form of a wafer to be treated is positioned in the lower area of this vacuum chamber 1.

[0024] In the central cover area a first electrode 4 is positioned within the vacuum chamber 1. In the wall area of the vacuum chamber 1 a second annular electrode 5 is arranged concentrically thereto. Both electrodes 4, 5 are connected to an alternating voltage supply which operates variably in the frequency range between 1 Hz and 4 MHz. Moreover, above the annular electrode 5 a gas supply 7 in the form of an annular pipe is arranged which has outlet nozzles distributed about the circumference for an etching gas which, in particular, is a fluorine compound.

[0025] Annular magnetic coils are arranged external to the vacuum chamber 1 for generating a rotating magnetic field.

[0026] Finally, the substrate 3 is connected to a voltage source 9 for generating a negative pulsed direct-current bias (pulsed DC bias) which operates in the frequency range between 1 Hz and 1 MHz.

[0027] The function of the etching module is as follows.

[0028] The vacuum chamber 1 is evacuated to a pressure between 0.001 and 10 mbar wherein the preferred working pressure is approximately 0.5 mbar. Other pressures are also conceivable.

[0029] By means of the gas supply 7 etching gas in the form of a fluorine compound is introduced into the vacuum chamber 1. Since an alternating voltage or direct voltage is present between the two electrodes 4, 5, an electric arc with a plasma between these two electrodes 4, 5 is generated. The magnetic coils 8 are activated such that the electric arc circulates like a carousel along the annular electrode 5.

[0030] As soon as the voltage source 9 releases a negative voltage pulse, the ions of the plasma are accelerated onto the substrate 3. Upon impinging of the ions on the top surface of the substrate 3, this surface is etched, i.e., eroded, and this for so long until the desired thickness is reached. Between the negative direct voltage pulses of the voltage source 9, positive, preferably shorter, direct voltage pulses are generated. They cause the partial volume charges to be removed so that the subsequently supplied negative potential is not disturbed by a possibly present volume charge.

[0031] The method according to the invention resides thus in the separation of plasma and electric arc as well as of substrate 3 and electric arc. The electric arc, supplied by an electric power supply, serves as an ionization source for the plasma whose ions are then accelerated by a second pulsing voltage onto the substrate 3. The separation of substrate 3 and electric arc is realized by the migrating magnetic field. In this way, the electric arc is not accelerated onto the substrate 3. The electric arc and the substrate 3 are separated from one another. The electric arc serves for generating the plasma.

[0032] The advantage of this etching module for large-surface processing resides in that, in comparison to the prior art, a much higher etching rate/eroding rate can be achieved by means of the extremely high ionization rate and the negative pulsed direct current bias (pulsed DC bias). This results in very short etching times and thus reduced costs per article in comparison to the prior art. Overall, it is thus possible to produce extremely thin wafers which are characterized by excellent heat dissipation of the integrated circuit (IC), moreover by material savings for the chip card industry, and, finally, by enabling flexible chips which can be embedded without problems in banking cards, without there being the risk of them breaking when under bending load.

[0033] Further applications are conceivable, for example, the plasma activation of surfaces of substrates.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0034] 1 vacuum chamber 2 coating 3 substrate 4, 5 electrodes 6 alternating voltage source 7 gas supply 8 magnetic coils 9 voltage source 

1. Method for plasma treatment of the surface of substrates (3) by ion bombardment, wherein a plasma of a supplied gas is generated and wherein the ions are accelerated by an electric potential onto the substrate (3) characterized in that the plasma is generated by an electric arc.
 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric arc is ignited and maintained by alternating voltage, in particular, at a frequency between 1 Hz and 4 MHz and, especially, with approximately 1.765 MHz.
 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the electric arc is ignited and maintained by direct voltage.
 4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electric arc is caused to migrate within the vacuum chamber (1).
 5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that a migrating magnetic field penetrates the vacuum chamber (1).
 6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substrate (3) is connected to a negative pulsed voltage potential, in particular, direct voltage potential, in particular, with a frequency between 1 Hz and 1 MHz and, in this connection, especially 225 KHz.
 7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the substrate (3) is connected to a positive voltage potential between the negative voltage pulses.
 8. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the method is used for reducing the thickness of substrates (3) by ion etching and that the gas is an etching gas.
 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the etching gas is a fluorine compound, in particular, SF₆, NF₃, CF₄ or C₃F₈.
 10. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the method is used for plasma activation of the surface of substrates (3).
 11. Device for performing the method according to one of the preceding method claims, comprising a vacuum chamber (1) as well as comprising a gas supply (7), characterized in that in the vacuum chamber (1) two electrodes (4, 5) are arranged between which a direct voltage or an alternating voltage can be applied for generating an electric arc.
 12. Device according to the preceding device claim, characterized in that the first electrode (5) is of an annular shape and that the second electrode (4) is arranged approximately on the center axis of the ring of the first electrode (4).
 13. Device according to one of the preceding device claims, characterized in that the gas supply (7) is configured as an approximately annular pipe.
 14. Device according to one of the preceding device claims characterized in that the inner wall of the vacuum chamber (1) comprises hot-pressed boron nitride.
 15. Device according to one of the preceding device claims characterized in that the vacuum chamber (1) has correlated therewith a magnetic coil (8). 